Boston
by Lynxie Ears
Summary: Eliot spends Christmas with his favorite assassin. Sequel to Havana. Eliot/OC. Smutty. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **This is my own take on Eliot's Christmas. Hope you like!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_**December 23rd**_

"Parker, the queen can't jump over your other pieces," Eliot scowled, frowning at the little blonde thief sitting across the coffee table from him.

"But you said she was the most powerful piece. If the horses can jump over things why can't the queen?" She cocked her head to the side and adjusted her position to sit on her haunches.

"Parker, you're blocking the TV!" Hardison yelled from across the room where he had disassembled his cell phone on the dining table.

They had showed up at Eliot's apartment about three hours ago, Parker carrying bags of ornaments, Hardison lugging a six foot long box containing an artificial Christmas tree. The thief had insisted on making Eliot's apartment festive, despite his every protest. 45 minutes later a fully decorated tree sat twinkling in the corner of his dining room. He wasn't a fan of the tinsel, but he had to admit that it did add the holiday spirit that had been sorely lacking.

Soon enough, pizza was ordered, beers were cracked open, and before he knew it, Eliot had been roped into a game of chess with Parker.

"What time is that pizza supposed to get h…" Hardison was cut short by a knock on the door. Almost immediately, he sprung up to answer it. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet as he turned the handle. "Oh shoot. That ain't delivery…"

Eliot's hands reflexively balled into fists as he stood up and moved to the door, staring daggers at the figure standing in the doorway.

"You should know by now that that look doesn't scare me Spencer."

The hitter's features softened. The woman before him casually leaned against the side of the door frame, a backpack and small duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She stared back at him from under shaggy bangs, her piercing green eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Damn girl, don't just stand there, come on in," Hardison broke the silence, gesturing towards the interior. No sooner had she put her bags down than Eliot held her tightly in his arms, any semblance of tension disappearing as she clung to his neck. When he released her she turned to Hardison.

"Hardison, this is Au…"

"Natalia," she stuck out her hand. "Audrey is what the government calls me," she flashed him that disarming smile of hers, "and you're not the government."

"Far from it," Hardison managed, mesmerized with the fact that a real assassin had just shook his hand. And a beautiful one at that.

She barely had a chance to turn around when Parker came bounding in from the living room, wrapping her in a giant bear hug.

"Nice to meet you too Parker," she patted the thief on the back before glancing over at Eliot. "I thought you said she didn't like strangers."

"I don't," Parker released her hold. "But you're not a stranger. I've talked to you on the phone. Besides, Eliot trusts you and that's good enough for me."

"Wow, I have never seen anybody win _her_ over that fast," Hardison didn't hide the surprise in his voice.

Eliot took Natalia's jacket and hung it on the rack by the door before ignoring her mild protests and toting her bags off to his room himself. He didn't care if she knew where the bedroom was and could take them there herself. She was his guest for the next little while, and he was going to make damn sure that she enjoyed her stay.

He returned to find her sitting on the floor next to Parker, pouring over their chess game. She was wearing a v-neck, cream colored cashmere sweater, hip-hugging blue jeans and worn brown cowboy boots. Her dark hair was pulled up in a ponytail, accented by new shaggy bangs.

"You can still win, Parker," she assured the thief, as Eliot took his seat again on the couch. She bent over just enough for Eliot's eyes to catch a glimpse of her cleavage as she got up.

"Oh, this I've got to see," Hardison leaned over the back of the leather sofa, flipping off the TV as he did so.

Natalia sat down to Eliot's left, her thigh just brushing his, sending a shiver down his spine. He quickly glanced over at the assassin; she hadn't seemed to notice.

Parker watched as Eliot made his move, only she wasn't watching the hitter. Natalia made a motion to casually touch her hair with one hand, as if she was adjusting a hat. Parker squinted her eyes while staring at the board. _Hats. Bishops wore funny hats._ Immediately she scanned her pieces, seeing the move Natalia was referring to. She needed to get her bishop out of the way before Eliot captured it on his next move. Her gaze shot back up to the assassin who sat back in the seat with the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.

Natalia reached behind Eliot to run her fingers through his hair as he pondered his next move. His reaction to her was Pavlovian. At her first touch his breath hitched in his throat for a fraction of a second, imperceptible to the others, but just long enough to prompt a smirk from the assassin. She knew her power over Eliot and wasn't above using it to distract him just long enough for Parker to win the game. The hitter managed to pull his thoughts together to make his move.

Parker watched as Natalia then crossed her legs, subtly but intentionally clicking her boots together as she did. _Cowboy boots. Cowboys ride horses. Knights ride horses._ She only had one knight left, which was indeed the piece she needed to move. As soon as she had completed her move, Natalia's fingers disentangled from Eliot's hair and formed a checkmark in the air beside his head, followed by a thumbs up.

"Check!" the thief yelled excitedly.

"Actually Parker," Hardison chimed in, unable to hide the amusement in his voice, "that's checkmate. You just lost Eliot," he laughed.

The hitter's gaze remained on the board, brow furrowed, searching for a way to turn his luck around.

"He's right El," Natalia ran a hand over his thigh. "I think she got you this time."

At that, Parker jumped from her spot on the floor, arms in the air, shaking her hips in some kind of victory dance. Eliot stared up at her through narrowed eyes, his mouth open in annoyance.

"Natalia, girl we forgot to even offer you a beer," Hardison strode to the fridge and retrieved two bottles before cracking open the lids. The assassin left a disgruntled Eliot on the sofa to join the hacker in the kitchen. "By the way," he said under his breath as he handed her a brown bottle, "very smooth." He clinked his bottle against hers and she smiled before taking a sip.

Another knock sounded on the door; their pizza this time. While Hardison and Parker tended to the delivery, Eliot sulked over to the kitchen to get himself another much needed beer.

"You did something didn't you," it was a statement made in the gruff lower tones of his voice. "I don't know what it was, but you did it," he pointed a finger at her as he closed the fridge with his foot.

She leaned against the kitchen counter. "Look at how happy she is," she cocked her head in Parker's direction. "Besides," she sat her drink on the black granite countertop before prowling across the kitchen towards him, 'you may be invincible to everyone else," she tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, fingers just brushing his earlobe, "but I'm afraid I know you better than that," she purred, breathing hot against his neck.

Her words went straight to his package. "You're so going to make up for that," his voice a rumbling drawl.

"Count on it," she grabbed her beer and joined Parker and Hardison at the dining room table, with Eliot following close behind.

"Alright, so I'm dying to know, where in the world did you two find each other?" Hardison held a folded slice of pizza over an already grease stained paper plate.

"They went to school together," Parker stated matter-of-factly.

Natalia laughed and wiped her mouth before answering. "Yes we did. That was what? Over ten years ago?" She looked over at Eliot who was munching on the crust of his first slice.

"Yeah. Can't believe it's been that long."

"So what happened? She was the hottest girl there and you won her over with your little cowboy drawl?" the hacker offered, complete with Hardison-esque hand gestures.

"Nah, actually, she kicked my ass," Eliot laughed and reached for another slice of pizza. "Well that and she was the hottest girl there."

Natalia smirked and took another sip of her beer.

"Well I'll be damned," Hardison smiled. "I never thought I'd meet someone who could beat the shit out of him. It's about time."Eliot frowned as Parker snorted with laughter.

The lighthearted conversation continued like this for another hour, with the assassin falling right into their dynamic. They left around midnight, to Eliot's silent relief. He enjoyed their company, but he enjoyed a certain green-eyed minx in his bed significantly more.

The hitter shut the door behind his teammates and turned to see Natalia standing a few feet in front of him. In an instant she closed the distance between them, jumping into his waiting arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as he captured her lips between his own. Their mouths collided, lips pressed together, tongues languidly playing against each other. Hungrily he sucked on her bottom lip before gently biting it. She moaned against his mouth before he rested his forehead against hers.

"I've been waiting for that since you walked in," the hitter's breathing was already heavy.

"Same," she whispered. He let her down where she removed her boots and socks which she stuffed into her shoes, placing them neatly by the door. They were right at home amongst his assortment of worn boots and sneakers. She turned around to survey the apartment; it had been two years since she had seen it last.

The kitchen and dining room were to her left. Straight ahead was the bedroom and to her right, the living room, with a guest room and gym branching off of it. His entire apartment radiated warmth with a masculine edge. Golden light illuminated the entire apartment, spreading across brown leather, mahogany wood, and faux deerskin rugs. Eliot preferred to be barefoot whenever possible and had shelled out for heated floors, from the oak wood to the tile in the bathrooms. It was the first time he had ever spent so much time in one place, and he had taken the time to make this place his home.

She tried to help Eliot clear the dining room table but he shut her down just as quickly as she had started. "You," he wrapped his arms around her and started into those green eyes, "get yourself cleaned up and into that bed." He kissed her before lightly slapping her ass as she walked away. She glanced over her shoulder at him, shooting him a sultry smile.

_God it was good to have her back.

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_

**Don't forget to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Sorry this is so late! Been dealing with crazy writer's block on top of holiday madness. I'll try to have the next chap up soon. Hope you like!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"There are towels under the sink," Eliot called after her. He wrapped up the leftover pizza and put it in the fridge before placing the empty beer bottles into the recycling.

"You coming Spencer?" She stood in the doorway, casually leaning against the doorframe. She was wearing tight black camisole and lace boy shorts. Yeah, she knew what got to him. Blue eyes met green, flashing with lust. The dish towel that had been slung over his shoulder was swiftly flung onto the counter before Eliot stalked over to her, cupping her face in both of his calloused hands, and pulling her in for a predatory kiss. Her fingers frantically searched for the hem of his t-shirt as he slowly backed her up towards the bed. Their lips parted momentarily to rid him of his shirt before the backs of her knees hit the bed. She sat on the edge, her lips moving to his stomach, hands massaging him through his jeans.

"Natalia," he moaned, fingers pulling the tie from her hair. She laughed mischievously before flipping open the button of his jeans and working them off of his hips. He leaned down to kiss her and she began to inch her way back onto the bed. Eliot crawled up to meet her, pressing his body against hers. His lips were hot on her neck, sucking and nipping his way down the expanse of skin. Her instincts demanded that she protect such a vulnerable place, but where Eliot was concerned those rules didn't apply. His tongue slid over her adam's apple before dipping between her breasts, prompting a breathless moan to escape her flushed lips. She sat up enough to allow him to pull off her tank, exposing her breasts to his onslaught of kisses. She dug her nails into his biceps as he trailed his mouth down her stomach, the ends of his hair just brushing her skin.

He sat back on his haunches, pulling her up with him. Natalia slid her hands down Eliot's muscled back before slipping her fingers under the waistband of his boxer briefs, palms sliding over his butt. He smiled against her lips and sifted around to allow her to pull off his underwear. She wrapped her arms around his neck, languidly sucking on his lips, feeling his arousal pressing against her stomach. The assassin snaked a hand between them, stroking and teasing the hitter. He let out a tortured moan and she smirked, reveling in the power she had over him.

"Not fair," he growled, his voice gruff and deep. He was powerless when she took control. His body always betrayed him at her touch. She let out a soft laugh before reaching behind her to pull back the down comforter. They shuffled around until Natalia was under Eliot, hands tangled wildly in his hair. He pulled her underwear down and she kicked them off of her ankles before he pushed into her. Nails clawed into his back and a moan escaped her lips. Judging from how tight she was, Eliot could tell that she probably hadn't been with anyone since she had him in Havana. Secretly satisfied with the thought, he paused a moment, fighting his every urge to pound into her. The hitter instead planting kisses upon her neck giving her time to adjust to him again.

"Eliot," she pulled on his hair, staring up into the hitter's eyes when he looked down at her. She rolled them over and they shifted until Eliot was sitting up against the headboard with Natalia in his lap. "For the last time," she rolled her hips against him as he groaned, "I'm not going to break." She held his face in her hands, mashing her lips to his. Eliot had to admit that he had a bad habit of treating her like a porcelain doll. He respected her, cared about her, didn't want to hurt her. And she hated it. Just, not enough to quit him. She knew it was the Southern gentleman in him, the instinct to treat a woman delicately. He couldn't help it and she was constitutionally incapable of getting, let alone staying, mad at him.

"I'm sor…" he began but was cut off by a soft hushing noise and her lips on his. She didn't like that either. Didn't like it when people she cared about apologized to her. It was like an infinitesimal fall from the grace she held them in and that was too hard to bear. Natalia didn't hold many people in her good graces. And didn't want to see the flaws or sins of those she did. She couldn't accept an apology for anything lesser than her own imperfections. If forgetting an anniversary was their greatest transgression, what would hers be? Could words even suffice? And perhaps she hated most of all to hear those words from Eliot. _Her_ Eliot. Her twisted angel who could do her no wrong. He had lived the way she had, committed the same wrongs, and still she couldn't stand to hear the words. He was still perfect to her. He could treat her like glass if it meant never having to hear "I'm sorry" fall from his lips. But of course, being Eliot, she knew he would take her words to heart; rough her up a bit just how she liked it. Because he was her kind of perfect.

She wound her hips against him, trespasses of the past forgotten so long as they were in each other's arms. She sat up just enough for Eliot to sink into her again. The hitter's fingers trailed down her spine, pausing on her hips a moment to pull her further onto him. "Fuck yes," she moaned and he laughed, thrusting into her harder as she wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him again. His hands moved up across her ribs to cup her breasts in his palms. Her full C-cups fit flawlessly in his weathered hands as she met his every thrust. His stubble was rough against her face as she sucked on his mouth, pouring all of her desperate desire for him into every caress of their lips.

Without warning Eliot tossed her onto her back and flung her left leg over his shoulder, slamming deeper into her as she let out a cry. This was the animal she loved. He propped himself up with a hand on either side of her head, hair falling wildly in his face. She swept his brown locks out of his eyes, pressing the ball of her right foot into the headboard of his bed.

"Natalia," he grunted, his voice betraying his body's urgency. His lips found her neck again as she bucked her hips up to him.

"Harder Eliot," she moaned, hands running across the rock hard muscles of his back. She turned her head to the side, biting her bottom lip as his pace increased. Eliot sat back on his haunches, grabbing her hips roughly and pulling her butt up into his lap. Her left calf still rested on his shoulder and he tipped his head to the side, laying kisses across her soft skin. "Yes," she moaned as she arched her back, fingers now digging into his thighs. "Eliot, yes, YES," she screamed, muscles clenching down around him as her orgasm hit her. Eliot came immediately after with a guttural roar.

When he opened his eyes he was met by her half-lidded emerald stare, mouth open, still panting for breath. He pulled her up until her chest was flush against his, pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

"I'm happy you're here," Eliot rumbled.

"Me too," she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead before he released her. She climbed from the bed before sauntering off to the bathroom. He climbed under the covers, watching her perfect backside with a smile as she moved away from him.

_This,_ he thought with a smirk, _is the way things should be. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Thank you to all those who reviewed! More smut soon so keep 'em coming and I'll keep writing!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

She returned to find Eliot on his side, facing her, his cheek resting on his left arm, his right pressed tightly to his chest. She knew he wasn't asleep just yet and she padded across the wooden floor to her side of the bed. The hitter's body involuntarily tensed as she slipped under the sheets, reflexively preparing for a fight that he wasn't in. Apparently she had been so quiet that even Eliot hadn't heard her, which was rare, because Eliot heard everything. His body relaxed a second later and he turned to lie on his back.

"What's wrong," her voice was soft but her words were firm as she propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at him with caring eyes.

"What?" he angled his blue eyes over at her, interlacing both hands over his stomach. Her gaze didn't waver. "It's nothing," he whispered, eyes darting away to stare at something obscure on a bookshelf across the room.

Natalia twisted to rest her head on his shoulder, replacing his right hand with hers, fingers laced between his reassuringly. She knew better than to push Eliot for anything. He would come around on his own terms and tell her in time. She would most likely figure it out by then, but she respected his space and was content to just hold him for the time being. To her surprise, the hitter fell asleep within minutes. She gently reached across him to flip off his bedside lamp before turning off her own. Natalia pressed her body against his once more, kissing him on the cheek before drifting off herself.

* * *

_**December 24th**_

Natalia could feel Eliot's stare as vividly as she could feel the morning sunbeams as she lay in his bed, draped in soft sheets. She knew he had gotten up hours before, going about his routine as quietly as possible so as not to wake her. But she was awake _now_ and she was dying for a kiss.

"You know, it's a little creepy when you just stand there like that," she moaned, her voice still husky with sleep.

"I just really like seeing you in my bed," he padded over to the assassin as she sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. He leaned down to press his lips to hers, languidly sucking on her mouth, tangling a hand in her long dark hair. He tasted of hazelnut coffee and something she had come to know as being uniquely Eliot. "I really like that too," he grinned when he released her.

"You and me both babe," she smiled up at him, her eyes glittering in the morning light.

"Hardison brought bagels over. I think he died a little when I told him you weren't up," Eliot placed his coffee mug on her nightstand before retrieving one of his terrycloth robes from the closet. He slipped it over her shoulders and she fastened it around her hips as best she could. It was two sizes too big, exposing her collarbone and cleavage in a deep V. "I think he's got a thing for you, you know," he picked up his mug with a smirk. It was nice to have something Hardison wanted but would never have. It was his own little victory over the hacker and you could be damn sure he was going to make the most of it.

"You're terrible to that boy, Eliot," she chided with a hint of a smile as she sauntered over to the bathroom to freshen up. It was warm in Eliot's apartment, and she threw on the tank she had been wearing last night and a pair of plaid flannel shorts.

She returned to find him in the kitchen, tapping his fingers on the black granite countertop, waiting for his bagel to finish toasting. He was clad in grey sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt, his hair pulled back out of his eyes. Eliot smiled as she trailed a hand across his back before appearing at his side and reaching for the brown paper bag of bagels. Her long fingers pulled out an everything bagel, deftly slicing it in half with the serrated knife on the counter, before licking some poppy seeds off of her thumb, and staring up at him with big liquid eyes.

"Your bagel's done," she smiled softly.

"Right," he hadn't actually noticed, but he wasn't about to admit it. He grabbed his food and placed it on the table before refreshing his coffee and fixing her a cup as she toasted her breakfast. She joined him soon at the dining table, sitting across from him.

"So where have you been lately?" He spread some butter on his bagel.

"Mmm," she took a sip of her coffee, "where haven't I been? I left for DC after seeing you, then La Paz for a month. After that, San Salvador, Bogotá, Trinidad, then Dominica. Chasing drug lords and the like," she reached for some cream cheese.

Eliot let out a low whistle, "well that explains it."

"What's that?" Green eyes met blue, sparkling with curiosity.

"Why you still have that tan," he drawled between bites of bagel. Her skin was naturally caramel colored, but it had retained the deep bronze of her summer tan even though it was December. "I like it."

"It's a shame yours is gone. We should do something about that," Natalia reached for her coffee again as she repositioned herself to sit cross legged on the chair.

"Sounds like a plan," Eliot smiled. "Is there anything you wanted to do today?"

"I talked to Parker yesterday about stopping by to see Hannibal for a little while. After that, it's your call."

"Sophie is having Christmas Eve dinner tonight at her place."

"No problem. We can watch a movie or something when you get back," she ran her fingers through her hair, tousling her strands.

"Actually, I called her this morning," he paused, "and she'd love it if you came," he looked up at her with hopeful, but cautious eyes.

Natalia felt a slight tightening in her chest. _So this is what nervous feels like._ She knew Sophie was a bit like a mother to Eliot and the prospect of meeting her made the assassin a bit anxious. She never fancied herself to be "the girl you bring home to Mamma," and yet that's what she was about to become. The team was Eliot's family; she didn't want to mess this up.

"Hey," Eliot whispered softly, picking up on her hesitation. "She's gonna love you."

"What time," the assassin's tone was neutral, but her eyes held a reserved excitement.

"We'll leave here at seven," he beamed.

"I'll be ready at six thirty," she gathered her dishes and headed towards the sink without so much as a second glance back at him.

Eliot grinned and slammed his palm on the table in triumph before joining her at the sink. She washed, he dried and when they were finished he pulled her close, kissing her on the temple.

"Thank you," he rumbled, their foreheads touching.

"Eliot, they're just a few dishes…"

"No. Thank you for coming tonight."

"For you…" she kissed him, slowly sucking on his full lips as his hands moved down her back to cup her ass, "…anything."

"When are you leaving for Parker's?" The hitter's voice was gruff, betraying his arousal along with the stiffening she could feel against her lower abdomen.

"Fifteen minutes."

"Soo could we…" he raised an eyebrow.

"Eliot."

"Alright," he released his hold, watching her butt in those tiny little shorts as she headed for his bedroom. Just before she rounded the corner she stopped and cast him a smoldering look over her left shoulder.

"Hey Eliot?"

"Yeah momma?"

"Heads up."

He bit his bottom lip with a satisfied grin. "Heads up" was a code he had invented years ago. Call it once and it's a warning to be on your toes. Because at any time, in any place, it would be called once more and you were about to be ambushed, stripped, and taken right where you stood. It was a recipe for the exact kind of rough, spontaneous sex they both craved. And she had just taken the safety off of the gun.

* * *

**Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright, this is a bit spoilery for anyone who hasn't seen the end of S3, so be forewarned. Hope you guys are enjoying this story as much as the last. Don't forget, those reviews are what keep us writers going!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Eliot's fists relentlessly collided with the leather of his punching bag, trying to beat through the fog in his mind. When he was young these blows had been brutal to him. They had split the skin on his knuckles and caused blisters that bled. Now all that was left were calloused hands of leather that no longer felt the sting.

The gym was dark; thick black curtains were pulled over the windows with the lights on their dimmest setting. This was how he liked it. He liked to make his senses work. It didn't take long for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, for the air to fill with the smell of sweat. The floor was warm beneath his feet, bare for better traction. His toes planted on the wood made him feel connected to his environment and enabled him to move as he wished. The dark was filled with sounds, the heater kicking in every now and then, the heavy footfalls he made as he switched his stances, the chains clattering as they strained to hold the bag strong against his blows. This was how Eliot Spencer cleared his mind.

Only, there was one thing he missed – her footsteps behind him.

Caught off guard, Eliot swung around with a back fist to what would have been her temple. But Natalia was forever prepared, throwing up both of her forearms to block his attack. He paused and drew a shaky breath before moving again. Slowly, he let his arm down, hands balled into fists to hide the trembling as he turned to face her, his damp hair falling in troubled eyes. If she hadn't been ready - if she hadn't been _her_ - she would be lying on the floor, knocked out unconscious. That shook him to the core. What if it had been Parker or Sophie standing there? He couldn't forgive himself for that. Eliot knew he was dangerous and lived his life under the principle of self control, but right now, he wasn't himself. And he wasn't in control.

"It's Moreau, isn't it."

_Wham. He never could keep a secret from her._

"That's what's been eating at you. It's why you don't hear me. Why you're on edge," her eyes held a hardness tempered with concern. For the next few seconds all Eliot could hear was his heart hammering in his ears before she started to move. She shrugged off her black blazer and tossed it in a heap near the door before yanking off her socks to join it and pulling her hair up out of her face. She stood before him now in a black ribbed tank and leggings of the same hue. "Get it out Spencer," she raised her fists to her face and dropped her right leg back into a fighting stance. "Talk to me. Try to hit me. Just do whatever it takes. Let it go."

Eliot's first instinct caused him to swing a wide right hook which she stopped easily with her left forearm. "The team's gonna find out," he growled before attempting an uppercut to her solar plexus with his left hand.

Natalia twisted her body and stopped his momentum with her right arm. "They know you have a past Eliot. You don't learn the things you know from reading a book. You learn it from living, and that's exactly what you've done."

He swung his elbow towards her chin where it instead collided with her own as she thrust her arm up to protect her face. "Nate's gonna be pissed."

"Don't give me that bullshit Spencer. When have you _ever_ been driven by his opinion?" Her voice had a definite edge to it as he jerked his knee up towards her kidney. Natalia effortlessly shifted out of the way. "You're not afraid of Nate. You're not even afraid of Moreau. You're afraid of yourself."

She dodged the left punch he threw before immediately blocking a wild right hook and wrapping her arm around his, holding him in a bicep lock that was just tight enough to cause pain. "Go on," he ground out, the sting of her hold shocking his brain into a different level of clarity.

"You don't like the man you used to be – the man Moreau forced you to be. You're afraid of the others seeing that. And you're afraid that you'll have to go back there." The hitter swung at her with his free fist but she just caught his punch, holding his right arm a bit tighter. "You listen to me Eliot and you listen good. You're not who you think you are. You've _never_ been as bad as you think you are."

He wrenched his left fist out of her hand, twisted to the right, and she let go all at once, springing away from him. The hitter lashed out at her with a back fist to her stomach. Natalia was able to stop him but he grabbed her wrist, flinging her roughly in front of him where he locked her into a bear grab. His biceps tightened around her causing her to wince at the pressure he was putting on her ribs.

"Will you ever be at peace with it Eliot?"

The room fell silent save for Eliot's panting and Natalia's controlled, albeit shallow breathing.

"No." He spat the word with disgust.

"Exactly." In a flash she bent her knees, dropping her stance before reaching between her legs to grab his left calf. She simultaneously pulled up and sat down on the floor, dropping him onto his back like a brick. She held his calf and tightened her thighs around his before leaning back. She was holding the knee bar just firm enough for him to grunt in pain, but not enough for him to submit.

"Eliot," Natalia's eyes locked on his, her voice staunch with conviction. "I can look at you right now and see the torment it still causes. It still eats at your soul. That's the point. _You still have a soul_. If it didn't kill you a little bit more with every breath that you take, if you didn't still have nightmares, if we weren't having this conversation right now Eliot, _then_ you would be the monster you make yourself out to be." She paused to let her words sink in, still breathing heavily from the exertion. Her voice was soft when she began again.

"You do whatever it is that you have to do. But so long as the ache is still there, _no one_ can call you a monster." She dropped his leg and released the pressure on his thigh as his entire body went limp. His breathing was ragged as he closed his eyes. He knew that she was right, and that seemed to give him some degree of comfort. She slowly slid across the wood floor and reached her arms out to him, pulling his back towards her chest, guiding his head to her shoulder. She pressed her lips to his temple and whispered gently, "I wouldn't be in love with you if you were a monster."

Natalia held him like this for a long time, just like she had years ago when he had committed his greatest sin. He went to her because he didn't know where else to go. He didn't know what else to do. And yet he knew that somehow, _she would_. She listened to him. She cried with him. She gave him the time and space he needed while still being close enough to reach out to when the dark began to close in again. She woke him from his nightmares and held him until peaceful sleep came. Natalia was the one who pulled him back up onto his feet.

And here she was again, with all the patience of a saint and more love than he ever deserved.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **This chapter was harder to write than I thought it would be! Hope it still came out alright. More smut soon, I promise!

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**  
**

**Chapter 5**

Sometime that afternoon they stood back up on their feet. Eliot tucked a stray lock of hair out of Natalia's eyes and kissed her softly in thanks. Natalia fixed them lunch while Eliot showered and she did the same after they ate. He then settled down on the couch and read, giving her some room to pick out an outfit and do her makeup. He knew she'd never be bothered by his presence, but he always felt like he was invading something intensely personal when he watched her deftly line her eyes and swipe gloss over her lips. He knew that meeting Sophie was something she took very seriously and he gave her space to get everything just right.

"Eliot," she called from the bathroom. He set his book and coffee down on the table and started for the bedroom. "How does this look?"

"Fuck," he breathed when he saw her in the doorway. She was wearing a buttoned up dark blue blouse with doleman sleeves up to her elbows. It was tucked into a tight black bandage skirt worn with a thin belt and black tights that ended in those five inch platform heels he loved so much. Dark hair fell in loose waves, bangs swept to the side. Her eyes were lined in black liquid liner and her lips covered in a soft pink gloss, cheekbones shimmering in the warm light.

"That bad huh?" She smiled.

"You look gorgeous," Eliot drawled. "Put me to shame that's for sure," he kissed her temple.

"Room's all yours," she clicked over to the kitchen, leaving Eliot to get ready.

Fifteen minutes later Eliot emerged fiddling with his hair, wearing a burgundy dress shirt tucked into black slacks with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "Hey momma, can you…" he held up a small pouch of beads. She finished curling the ribbon on a bottle of wine wrapped in a velvet bag before placing the scissors back into the kitchen drawer. "For Sophie?" He nodded towards the bottle.

"She likes wine right?" Her voice still held that faint twinge of anxiety.

"Loves it," he reached out to touch her arm reassuringly.

"Braids or no braids?" Her hands moved to his hair.

"Braids." She separated out a lock from the underside of his hair, the strands gliding through her fingers as she made quick work of the braid. He handed her a silver bead and a threader and she slipped it onto his hair before finishing it with a tiny black tie to hold it in place. She repeated the process on a lock behind his left ear, completing it much faster than he could on his own. The little moments like this, the way they worked in effortless harmony, made Eliot reassess his current position on marriage.

"Ready?" She whispered. Eliot reached down and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. He could feel the slightest bit of trembling between his fingers. Natalia grabbed the bottle of wine and they were out the door.

Not too long after, they arrived at Sophie's apartment. The grifter opened the door excitedly and Eliot greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He stepped aside to reveal the assassin who offered her hand with her best smile.

"Oh rubbish, come here and give me a hug," she pulled Natalia in warmly. Sophie was genuinely surprised when the assassin gave her the bottle of wine. "That's so sweet. Go on, take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable," she gestured around the apartment as she returned to the kitchen, the smells of roasting turkey and sweet potatoes baking filling the air. Eliot poured her a drink, making sure to stay in her physical space as much as possible, knowing the reassuring effect it had on her. Hardison and Parker arrived soon after, helping to relax her a bit more. She looked regal and serene on the outside but Eliot knew on the inside, she was a wreck. He had never seen Natalia in such a state of distress, but he couldn't help but smile. She was on edge because she was afraid of messing up. She was afraid of messing up because she cared. And because she cared, he knew she wouldn't mess up.

Nate was about half an hour late, but came bearing flowers, which seemed to offset Sophie's disapproval, if only slightly. He shook Natalia's hand and smiled warmly, nodding at the glass she held. "I like you already," he laughed before heading over to Sophie's bar. The assassin glanced over her shoulder at Eliot who winked back. He had given her Irish whiskey on purpose.

"Well now that everyone's _here_," Sophie exaggerated the last word, slanting her gaze over to Nate, "let's eat." Nate and Sophie sat at the two ends of the table Hardison and Parker on one side, Eliot and Natalia on the other. Dishes were passed around and the conversation soon turned to the new face at the table.

"So, what is it that you do Natalia?" Nate dished out some cranberry sauce for his turkey.

"I work for the government," she took a sip of the red wine she now had.

"She's an assassin," Parker blurted out with a smile on her face, her gaze falling first on Nate who smirked, and then on Sophie, whose expression held a mixture of impressed surprise. Eliot glared at the thief through narrowed, displeased eyes.

"I am," Natalia looked down at her plate humbly before looking back up at the team. "I work mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean keeping tabs on the drug trade." She slipped a hand under the table to squeeze Eliot's forearm, letting him know that it was okay.

"Wow, that's incredible," Sophie seemed a bit surprised to have an assassin sitting at her dining room table. But her attention soon focused on Eliot and the shift that had occurred in his demeanor.

"Nate, remember what happened in Honduras in '99?" Eliot chewed on his green beans.

"You mean the fact that _no one_ knew what happened in Honduras? A drug kingpin and arms dealer was dead with no real idea who pulled the trigger. There was no investigation because, well, he was a drug lord. Yeah, I remember that."

"_She_ pulled the trigger," Eliot cocked his thumb towards Natalia with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Hardison swallowed hard, looking as if he was about to make a mess of his slacks. Apparently her résumé turned him on.

"And Guatemala a year later?" Nate probed.

Natalia just barely raised her hand off the table, wiggling her fingers in acknowledgment.

"Among others," Eliot added.

"Excellent work," Nate smiled and raised his glass, clinking it against hers. She broke conventional rules for the greater good. And more importantly, didn't get caught. Somehow, it was as though she had just become an unofficial member of the team.

After they had eaten their fill, Hardison and Parker said their goodbyes. They were heading to his Nana's house for Christmas and now it was Parker's turn to be nervous. She gave the assassin a big hug and made her promise to stop by and play with Hannibal tomorrow so that he wouldn't have to spend Christmas alone. Natalia assured her that she would make his Christmas the best one ever.

After they had gone, she helped Sophie to clean up. She put away leftovers and dried the dishes, despite the grifter's every protest. They were making coffee in the kitchen when Sophie spoke in hushed tones.

"Thank you."

"Sophie, the dishes are nothing…"

"Thank you for what you've done for Eliot."

Natalia's gaze fell on the hitter, lounging on the sofa in the living room laughing at something Nate had just said.

"You were the one he went to see this summer, weren't you?"

"Did Hardison tell you…"

Sophie smiled, "No. I could see it written on Eliot's face. The months before had been relentless on him, but he came back a completely different person. You change him. You calm him somehow. You make him happy, and believe me, happy Eliot is something we see so rarely that it's a bit startling," she laughed. "I've seen him with plenty of women and he's never been like this," Sophie paused. "He loves you, Natalia," the syllables of her name rolled off the grifter's tongue like poetry.

The assassin's green eyes filled with tears and she blinked hard to hold them back. Sophie smiled and touched her arm comfortingly.

"Don't break his heart," she whispered with a smile and handed her a cup of coffee before grabbing one for Eliot and herself and heading off towards the living room.

They talked and laughed for another hour before Sophie stood up and gathered their mugs.

"Sophie, sit down, you've been on your feet all day. I'll get it." Eliot protested.

"Eliot," Sophie chided, managing to snatch up her mug and Nate's glass before Eliot could get to them. They left Nate and Natalia to a riveting conversation about Pablo Escobar as they made their way to the kitchen sink. The hitter turned the faucet on and began to wash.

"Well?" He looked over at Sophie and smiled.

"I can't believe we haven't met her before," Sophie leaned against the counter. "She's so good for you Eliot. And she loves you too."

He looked over at Sophie in surprise. She had known Natalia for only a few hours and already she could see the years of history they had. Her powers of observation never ceased to amaze him.

"Eliot," Sophie held his gaze before continuing. "Don't let her get away."


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Thank you all so much for the reviews! So glad to see new people. And now, let the smut commence…

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"I told you she'd love you," Eliot drawled as he stared over the wheel of his Challenger at the relatively empty Boston streets. By now everyone had settled down for the night. Children were in their beds, their eyes shut tight, secretly hoping to hear the sleigh bells that would signal the arrival of their favorite yearly visitor. He cast a glance over at Natalia, her figure cradled by the leather of the reclined passenger seat. Her legs looked impossibly long and shapely stretched out in front of her and he fought to keep his hands on the wheel. She was wrapped in a black wool coat, her hair fluffed out around the collar, head tipped back into the seat. Her face was illuminated every few seconds by the glowing sodium vapor of the passing streetlamps, and in the light he could see her smoldering emerald eyes trained on him. Her gaze was absolutely predatory.

She reached out, the fingers of her left hand slipping across the fabric of the slacks covering his thigh. Eliot let out a low growl as her hand swept down his thigh to his knee before she raked her nails back up toward him. Slowly, she reached toward his inner thigh, stroking down his leg once again. He bit his bottom lip in anticipation. His move didn't go unnoticed and he felt her touch alleviate all together. He was about to spit a curse when her palm cupped him through his pants. His disapproval manifested instead in a tortured grunt before he sucked in a deep breath, attempting to concentrate on the road.

She rubbed his package through his pants, which were becoming increasingly uncomfortable by the second. Her fingers fondled and squeezed him just right and he found himself thanking God for making her ambidextrous. Eliot's hands tightened around the wheel as his mind recited his objective over and over. _Get to the garage. Park your fucking car. Try like hell to make it to your apartment._

To his relief, the parking garage of his apartment had just come into view. Unfortunately, she had ceased her ministrations, leaving his subconscious on its knees, begging for more. She knew how to play him. He hit the gas harder and whipped the Challenger into the first parking space he saw. He threw the car into park, yanked the parking brake and ripped the keys out of the ignition as she got out of the car. He jumped out before locking eyes with her across the roof.

"Hey, Eliot?"

"Oh no. No, no, no. Don't do that here," he pointed at her with wide eyes.

"Oh yes here."

"Don't you da…"

"Heads. Up."

The words alone made his dick stiff. He cast a quick glance around at the empty garage – and gave in. They each stormed toward the front of the car before their bodies collided. Eliot's hands captured her jaw as his mouth enveloped hers. Natalia's fingers worked frantically at his leather jacket, tossing it onto the hood of the car. She fisted his hair as he suddenly became aware of the biting Boston cold. It was only fair that she feel it too. He fumbled with the buttons of her coat until she intervened, finally allowing his hands to fall on the fabric of her shirt. It was more sheer than it looked and he could feel the heat from her skin easily.

"On the car," she managed to get out between kisses. Eliot parted from her a moment to hop up on the hood and slide against the windshield. Natalia kicked her shoes off and climbed up after him, hiking her skirt up enough to straddle his lap.

"Fuck," Eliot slammed his head against the glass. She wasn't wearing tights. They were thigh-highs hooked into a black lace garter belt. She smiled mischievously, kissing his scruffy jaw line while unzipping his pants. Her hands encircled the back of his neck, tipping his face to hers as Eliot's fingers worked at the tiny buttons of her blouse with surprising dexterity. He left it tucked into her skirt and instead slipped his hands under the fabric and across her heated skin. She wound her hips in slow figure-eights against him as he bucked his hips up to hers. The raw power of his muscled form below her, his hands on her breasts, his lips attacking her neck, all released a dizzying flood of adrenaline into her blood. His hands tightened around her slim waist, holding her down on his package as he ground himself against her forcefully. She had to brace herself on the car, slamming her hands on either side of his head where the roof met the windshield, a soft moan escaping her lips before dissipating in a puff of vapor in the cold air.

"Get in the car," Natalia commanded, her voice low and husky. She climbed off of Eliot and slid off the hood, reaching for the door handle. She was abruptly smashed up against the car, the cold metal stinging her front, Eliot's heated body warming her back. He pulled her head back by her hair before his teeth dug into the curve of her neck. Her smell made him growl in pleasure; the faint trace of her perfume lingering on the tendons of her neck and the scent of her hair that he so loved. At this moment it was more than a trace of her left on a pillow. It was in his hands, brushing against his nose, falling across his skin. Natalia clawed at the roof of the car as his lips wrapped around her earlobe, hips rocking against her. He pushed up her skirt, taking in the sight of the black straps of the garter belt lying against the curve of her ass. Eliot hooked a finger through one of the straps, stretching it a bit and allowing it to slap back against her caramel skin. She let out a harsh breath and he roughly pushed her legs apart with his knee before his hand moved between her thighs.

"Mmmm," he growled when he felt how wet she was. "That all for me?" His voice was like thunder rumbling in her ear. Natalia couldn't help the chills that swept over her. "How badly do you want me?"

She wrapped her foot around Eliot's calf, slowly stroking his leg before her touch turned hard, hooking her shin behind his knee. She threw him off balance and spun him around in front of her just behind the car door. Natalia flung it open and roughly shoved him inside where he collapsed on the back seat before she climbed in and shut the door behind her.

"C'mere," he ground out, pulling her onto his lap. She stripped him of his shirt, tossing it somewhere behind her. Eliot hiked up her skirt further and slipped his fingers under her thong.

"El…" she panted as his fingers plunged inside her, curling against her G-spot. Her thoughts began to short circuit and she was at the mercy of Eliot's talent. But one thing was unquestioningly clear. This simply wouldn't do. She raked her nails down his biceps and across his forearm before pulling him away from her and bringing his fingers up to her mouth, slowly sucking on them as Eliot watched. He let out a low growl before she guided his hand over the curves of her breasts. The hitter moved his away from her skin to pull himself through his boxers. He gripped her hips, positioned her over him, and pulled her down onto him and sheathing himself inside her. Natalia immediately went to work riding him while her fingers danced across his sweat-dampened skin. Eliot reached under her bra to cup her bare breasts with his hands, feeling her nipples hard against his palms.

"Harder Eliot," she gasped and he obliged, ramming his hips up to hers with all of the strength he could muster. Natalia reached a hand up to the roof of the car to steady herself against the hitter's relentless pounding. "Oh God yes…"

Eliot's hands tangled in her hair and pulled to expose her throat. He sat up and trailed his tongue across the expanse of skin, her moans pushing him further and further to the edge. She shoved him back against the seat and her lips sucked on his earlobe, tongue playing with his earring.

"Come for me Eliot," she purred in his ear, feeling his thrusts fall apart under her. Natalia's fingers swept his hair from his eyes and her mouth locked on his, biting his bottom lip. He came an instant later with a low rumbling roar against her mouth, pumping his hips with every shudder of his orgasm. The feel of every hot ounce of him inside her sent the assassin over the edge. Eliot had just enough functioning synapses to clasp a hand over her mouth as she dug her nails into his shoulders and tossed her head back with a scream, giving in to the powerful rhythmic contractions of Eliot-induced ecstasy.

The hitter pulled out of her and all suddenly fell silent, save for the panting as they tried to catch their breath. His hand slowly slipped from her mouth and Natalia leaned against the back of the driver's seat, her fingers wrapped around his forearms, unwilling to break their physical connection.

"We should get upstairs," Eliot let out a gravelly whisper. "If you don't get to sleep soon Santa isn't going to bring your present," his voice was serious despite the hilarity of the statement.

Natalia leaned in to within inches of his lips, holding his face firmly in her hands. "Darling, I'm afraid Santa's given up on naughty little me."

Eliot laughed. "If he hadn't before, he sure did just now," his lips found hers, tongue slipping inside her mouth. She answered him with fervent hunger, throwing her whole body into the kiss. "Even the way you kiss is naughty," he smiled.

"That's because I don't do nice."

"No, momma. No you don't. And boy am I fuckin' glad." 


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Sorry this took so long, but thank you guys for sticking with me. I did lose a few reviewers on that last chapter though =( . Don't forget that's my only way of knowing if you guys like this! I know it's very, very late for a Christmas fic, but uhh, just think of it as really early for this Christmas…

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**Chapter 7**

**December 25th**

Natalia woke to a hand running down her back, rubbing soft circles against her skin. Her eyes flew open, coming to focus on Eliot's big blue eyes.

"You were shaking," he whispered with gentle concern.

"Bad dream," she murmured and snuggled into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he smiled and kissed her temple. "Anything special you wanted to do today?"

"I promised Parker I'd stop by to take care of Hannibal. After that," Natalia laced one of her smooth legs through his. "I'm all yours."

"Mmm. I've got the perfect plans for dinner then."

"Can't wait," she smiled.

Eliot kissed her on the forehead, "I'll go get breakfast started." She disentangled herself from the hitter, sinking into the soft sheets, inhaling the scent that he left on them. She took in the contours of muscle in his back as he sat up, a coy smile spreading across her lips as she kept her eyes trained on his butt as he got up and padded over to the dresser. She got up not long after, throwing on her plaid shorts and a long sleeved navy blue shirt before heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

She found Eliot in the kitchen, about to take the heel of his palm to the coffee maker. Apparently you had to hit it to make it work. She caught his hand just before he delivered the blow.

"I'm not much of a housewife, but I don't think that's the way it works."

"It's not doing the…" he grunted before giving up on his sentence and forming a frustrated gesture. Natalia just smiled before removing the filter basket and calmly sliding it back into place. She flipped the power switch and listened to the machine sputter slightly as it started up. Eliot snorted and grumbled prompting a soft laugh from the assassin.

She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, burying her nose into the back of his shoulder. "I think Santa left you something under the tree," she whispered.

Eliot turned to face her, "You too."

She glanced over to the corner of the dining room, and sure enough, two packages sat under the soft glow of white lights. He took her hand and led her to the tree before sitting down on the warm wood floor. He took two logs from a stand near the fireplace, adding some crumpled newspaper as kindling before lighting it. Within minutes Eliot had created a sizeable blaze that cast a glowing warmth over them.

"Alright momma," he sat back down facing her. Before he could say "ladies first" she had thrust his present into his hands.

"I'm too excited," she smiled, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Eliot laughed as he tore the paper from the box. In an instant his facial expression morphed from amused to stunned. In his hands he held an 11-piece Shun knife set. They were top of the line Japanese chef's knives, each one hand-crafted with the precision and beauty of a samurai sword. He had wanted a set of Shun knives for forever…and now he had them.

"Open it," she coaxed. He obliged, pulling out a leather knife roll with "ES" stamped in script in the lower right corner. With dream-like reverence he unrolled the set, finding each knife sheathed perfectly in its respective slots. He reached for the chef's knife, watching the blade glint in the firelight, examining it like something sacred. On the butt of the handle was a small "ES" engraved in the same script that he saw on the leather.

"These are incredible Natalia," he replaced the knife and rolled up the case. "Thank you," he reached a hand out to cup the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss.

"You're very welcome," she whispered against his mouth when he released her.

"Your turn," he sat back and handed her a box wrapped in glittery paper.

An excited smile spread across Natalia's features. Be it because of her assassin's instinct or her inner child, she couldn't resist the urge to analyze the package for a split second. It was far too light for its size, meaning it was most likely a disguise for the real gift. She ripped the paper covering the box, revealing plain cardboard beneath. She peeled away the tape that bound the flaps, revealing green and white packing peanuts.

"Making me fish for it huh?" Natalia briefly glanced up at him from under shaggy bangs. Her fingers sifted though the fluff until they found the hard edge of a small box, which she pulled it out in a small flurry of packing peanuts. It was a turquoise box wrapped in white satin ribbon. "Tiffany's. You know me too well," she whispered. Natalia tugged at the ribbon which easily came loose in her hands, opening the lid to reveal a small suede pouch. She stole a look at Eliot, whose eyes were trained on her hands, his lips pursed nervously. She reached inside the pouch and pulled out a thin silver-colored band. A row of diamonds glittered in the blaze from the fire and she could tell by the weight of it in her fingers that it was made of platinum.

"Eliot…" her eyes flew wide as she looked over to him.

"It's just something little. You don't have to wear it as a ring if you don't want to," his voice was almost shy, his gaze lowered, trained on her fingers, almost as if he was afraid of what he might see if he looked in her eyes. "I wish I could give you more. And maybe one day we'll slow down enough for that. But for now, it's a little something so you always remember me," he rumbled softly, "and how much I love you."

Natalia reached out her left hand, tipping his chin up so his gaze met hers. "Eliot," she had only said one word, but her voice was laced with a beautiful melodic softness, a tone Eliot had come to know as pure, unselfish love. "I'll die long before I ever forget you. Don't you worry about that."

Eliot reached out to cup her face, running his thumb across her cheekbone in delicate circles. "Promise," he whispered. She slipped the ring into his hand, moving her face to within inches on his.

"I promise."

Eliot slipped the band onto the ring finger of her left hand before she threw her arms around his neck, locking her mouth on his. He pulled her onto his lap, tangling his hands in her hair, hungry for the woman he loved.

"Now," she whispered huskily when he released her, "let's get you in that kitchen. I want to see those knives in action."


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright, this chapter goes into Natalia's past. Eliot's not the only one who's damaged. Hope you like, and don't forget how much I love reviews!

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**Chapter 8**

Around 7 in the afternoon Natalia slipped her key into the lock on Eliot's apartment door. They had spent the day watching copious amounts of Christmas movies, punctuated with their fair share of kisses and some fondling here and there. She spent three hours playing with Hannibal and even cooked him a Christmas dinner of ground turkey, carrots and rice. She left him snug in his bed, a sleepy sated ball of fluff, content until Parker's return later that night.

"Eliot…" she called out into the darkness as she slipped off her shoes and shrugged off her shoulder bag. The only light she could see came from the bedroom.

"In here," Eliot's called from the bathroom. She removed her jacket, laying it on the bed before walking through the room's double doors.

"Oh my God. It_ is_ Christmas." She found Eliot seated on the edge of the black marble Jacuzzi to her left, tossing some rose petals into the clouds of foam on the surface of the water. The bathroom was dimly lit, accented by clusters of candles and the city lights twinkling through the window above the tub. On the stone ledge of the tub nearest the window sat an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and platter of sushi; the perfect Christmas dinner.

"Did I do good?" Eliot stood up to face her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"It's a little cliché," she reached her fingers up and tenderly tucked a lock of hair behind his ear with a smile, "but I can live with that." Eliot took her face in his hands, enveloping her lips in a long, slow kiss. She reacted instinctively, wrapping her arms around his neck, arching her body into the solid muscle of his chest.

"I think I have one of your old bikinis around here somewhere," Eliot released her and ran a hand through his hair, stopping mid-motion as she stripped off her shirt and tossed it on the floor.

"Oh come on Spencer," she reached behind her and deftly popped the clasp on her bra, "it's nothing you haven't seen before." She turned her back to him as she shimmied off her jeans and panties, sauntering up the steps that led to the tub. Eliot followed suit, sinking into the warm water across from the assassin. She had tied her hair up in a bun and her eyes glittered as she stared at him over the foam that covered her up to her clavicle. Eliot proceeded to pour the champagne as Natalia started on the sushi. It wasn't long before they had polished off the entire platter.

"That was absolutely wonderful," Natalia took a sip of her champagne, "thank you, Eliot."

"My pleasure momma." He paused for a while, just taking in the sight of her luxuriating in the warm water of the Jacuzzi. "How did your folks take it when you passed on Christmas with them?"

"I told them I was working. I don't need to spend my Christmas surrounded by my cousins and their kids, constantly being harangued about when I'm going to settle down and give them grandchildren." Her voice was steady, but her eyes shifted to the right, betraying a sore spot. There was no need to hide her emotions around Eliot, so she didn't try. Honestly, he was the only one she was comfortable showing them to. "And my brother's in Dubai on business, so I'd be the one taking the brunt of that lecture anyway." She set her champagne flute down on the marble, idly toying with a velvety rose petal.

Eliot knew that she had a large family and of them all, she and her brother were the only ones who hadn't given in to the suburban dream just yet. He was proud of her for living her own life but was also acutely aware of how relentlessly she worked at creating that happiness. Frankly, the only thing he could foresee slowing her down was an unexpected little bundle of joy. But she was too careful for that. She was an assassin, after all, and planning was part of her DNA. Eliot knew that she didn't sleep around and she was religious about taking her birth control, which was the reason they never felt the need to use condoms. That, and perhaps the existence of something unspoken that rested in the comfortable space between them. Calloused and brutal though his hands were, they were also capable of cradling a child, his child.

"Natalia, you know I…"

"I know, Eliot," she looked up at him with a soft smile. "Thank you." A long pause filled the room before she spoke again. "I never thought I'd have that you know," she held his gaze and he caught the slightest hint of sadness behind those emerald orbs.

"Why's that momma?"

"Because it's still hard for me to believe I deserve anyone."

At that, Eliot's heart sank.

"My entire life has been filled with people who told me I was worth something and then turned around and left me like I never existed. From what I understand, you don't do that to people who are worth something to you."

He had seen this side to her only once before in the decade that he had loved her, and it hit him like a ton of bricks to see her eyes become glassy with tears. Natalia was perhaps the worst kind of orphan; the kind whose parents were still physically there, but left her to grow up alone. She always blamed herself for that. For somehow not being a good enough four-year-old to keep her dad from being a workaholic, or pull her mom away from taking care of her baby brother long enough to play a game. Her family moved so much that she didn't know what it was like to have a best friend until she was seventeen. By then, allowing herself to open up was as foreign as the surface of the moon.

Eliot knew her first kiss was at nineteen, stolen by someone she had trusted like never before, only to be tossed to the side in favor of someone who couldn't hold an intelligent conversation or turn a head if she tried. Passion, intelligence and beauty were discarded for homely submission. Someone who made him sandwiches every day and nodded her head at everything that came out of his mouth was more up his alley. The very recollection of it made Eliot's blood boil. You see, Natalia called bullshit, she pushed back, she felt anger, jealousy, and pain. And rightfully so. Real men don't kiss their girlfriend in the afternoon and fall asleep with someone else in their arms at night. The man, if he could be called that, didn't even care to hide it. Natalia had screamed until words failed her, only to be met by an onslaught of emotional abuse. She knew when to get out, but the wounds never healed.

By the time Eliot had found her she was a twenty three year old ball of absolute rage. It was what made her such a great fighter. She felt no fear, and dove head first into situations that he had seen cripple grown men. After what she had been through, she trusted no one. She felt no more pain. She didn't feel _anything_.

Eliot could never forget the very first time he touched her. It was an innocent hand on her arm, meant to get her attention as she was walking away. He had wanted to invite her to lunch and wasn't prepared for the sharp intake of breath, the flinch, and the flash of her eyes when they locked on his. It was a reaction he was all too familiar with. So familiar that it scared him. Natalia hadn't known what it was like to be physically beaten, but she hadn't known what it was like to feel the touch of someone who wasn't going to hurt her either. Eliot couldn't imagine how anyone could bring themselves to do what people had done to her, but it soon became clear that so long as he was alive, no one would ever hurt her again.

Eliot reached out across the tub and pulled her to his chest, holding her as tightly as his arms would allow. The touch that had once startled her was now a source of infinite comfort. Over time her rage had mellowed into wisdom, but that didn't mean the years of caustic memories were erased. Something about Eliot though, helped to neutralize the sting.

"I ain't going anywhere momma," Eliot rumbled. "Anytime you start to forget that, just look at that ring on your hand."

Natalia knew words had become extraneous at this point. She craned her neck up to kiss him, long and slow, feeling every nerve in her lips collide with every one in his. He had become the partner in crime she never had. He was the spontaneity she craved. Each was able to put back the pieces when the other broke. This was how they were. This was how they would always be.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Special appearance by Hardison this Chapter! Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

**  
**

**Chapter 9**

Moments later the heavy mood had lifted. Eliot had repositioned Natalia on his lap, arching up to meet her hungry kisses. The steam had turned stray strands of her hair into delicate ringlets that curled around her face. His hands slipped across the wet skin of her back before she pulled away from him, suddenly alert. A split second later, a heavy knock sounded on the door.

"I think it's Hardison," she shifted off of the hitter and climbed out of the tub to dry off.

"How do you even…" Eliot growled his disapproval as he hoisted himself out of the Jacuzzi before the banging sounded again. Natalia had already managed to slip on a black camisole and her plaid shorts before jogging into the living room. Eliot donned a pair of sweatpants and ran a hand through his damp hair as she unlocked the door and swung it open.

She was right. As always.

His eyes fell first on Eliot, standing a few feet in front of the door. "Dude, can we talk? Where's…"

"Here," Natalia stepped from behind the door, noting that the hacker seemed a bit more jittery than normal.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything…kinky or something. I see you've got the no-shirt, wet-hair thing going on. I don't really wanna know," he gestured animatedly.

"We were just soaking in the tub," Natalia smiled softly as she shut the door.

"What do you want Hardison?" Eliot didn't bother to hide his annoyance as he folded his arms across his chest. Natalia padded over to him as the hacker flopped down onto the sofa, briefly laying a hand on his arm and locking her eyes on his, silently chastising him for his irritation. Something was clearly off, otherwise Hardison wouldn't be here. Her gesture made Eliot take the time to think that through, and he relaxed before moving off to sit in an armchair in the living room.

"Do you want me to give you two a minute?" Natalia asked, not wanting to intrude.

"Actually, I was hoping I could get your advice," Hardison turned to face her over the back of the sofa.

She took the spot to Hardison's left on the sofa, between him and the hitter.

"What is it man?" Eliot leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Parker is making me _insane_."

"I thought you guys were…" Eliot crossed the middle and index fingers of his right hand.

"We are man, that's the problem. I don't know how long I can keep up being just…" he mimicked Eliot's gesture.

"She's not exactly _normal_ Hardison."

"I think what Eliot means," Natalia chimed in, "is that she needs time to come around."

"That's just it. She _doesn't. _Not physically anyway."

"Did you…" Eliot's eyes flew wide.

"No," Hardison shifted in his seat. "But it's really hard not to when her ass, is all up on my junk."

Eliot let out a hearty laugh. "Look man, I know that ain't a feeling _you_ encounter very often," at this Hardison frowned, "but that's usually about the time when you're supposed to make a move."

"How exactly did that happen?" Natalia asked, ignoring the hitter's comment. "I'm assuming you two weren't out grinding in the club with your Nana on Christmas Eve, so some context, please." Hardison was grateful someone was taking him seriously.

"Well, Nana only has one guest room. With one bed. I offered to sleep on the couch, but Parker insisted that we sleep in the same bed. So, I was a gentleman and gave her as much space as I could without falling off. The next thing I know she's all up in my space."

"That's called spooning, Hardison," Eliot barked.

"I KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED, DAMMIT," Hardison snapped back. "Look man, why don't you go make some tea or something. Go on."

"Maybe I will," Eliot got up from the chair and headed for the kitchen.

"Is Parker big on personal space?" Natalia looked over at Hardison, secretly amused that Eliot had actually complied.

"Not around people she knows," Eliot answered from the kitchen.

"Would she do that with you?" Natalia turned over the back of the sofa.

Eliot paused for a second, "I don't think so."

She turned back to Hardison. "Well then maybe you should consider yourself lucky."

"Yeah, but what do I _do _with that?"

"Hardison, do you _know_ how to have sex?" Eliot taunted and he returned with a tray of three mugs.

"Fuck you man."

"Have you two ever talked about your relationship?" Natalia took the mug Eliot handed to her.

"We've tried. And that's what bothers me. She can't actually bring herself to admit it."

"She calls him 'Pretzels,'" Eliot added.

Natalia raised an eyebrow, "I'm not gonna ask. But you can _tell_ that she has feelings for you…"

"No, she has feelings for pretzels," Eliot quipped, which earned him a light backhand to the knee.

"I'm not going to try to start something without her saying that's what she actually wants."

"Hardison, I think Parker's the kind of girl who just has problems putting what she's feeling into words. When you say something like that out loud, there's no way to take it back. It puts you in a sensitive place where you can be rejected, no matter how clear someone else has made their feelings for you. Plus, I get the feeling that Parker doesn't much trust the things that other people say. She's been burned by people who've shuffled her around and discounted her so much that words don't make sense anymore."

"How did you…" Hardison's brow furrowed.

"Because I'm the same way," she smiled. "Actions make sense. Touch makes sense. It doesn't lie quite like words do. Or, at least it shouldn't. Her snuggling is a way to try to get something tangible from you. Tangible things she can believe in."

"You're a hacker, Hardison," Eliot spoke up. "Everything you do is based in logic. You shut off your senses because you don't need them. That's why you don't notice that the van smells." It was a little bit of a jab at Hardison, but it proved Eliot's point perfectly. "Parker is a thief. Everything she does is physical. If you locked her in a room she'd go crazy. She needs to feel every one of her senses firing to be happy. That's what _she's _used to."

"You have to give a little. Meet her on her terms and see what happens," Natalia smiled softly.

"Make sense?" Eliot sat back in his chair.

"Yeah, actually," Hardison nodded.

"You all good?"

"Yeah man."

"Anything else?" Eliot ran a hand through his hair.

"Nah I think you both hit the nail on the head."

"Good. Now get the fuck out of my apartment," Eliot grinned.

"Alright man," Hardison stood up as did Eliot and Natalia and headed for the door. He paused to give Natalia a hug and he and Eliot locked hands and bumped shoulders in typical manly fashion before Hardison headed off for the night.

"Nicely done momma," Eliot shut the door behind the hacker and turned to find Natalia clearing up the mugs they had been drinking from.

"Like I said," she placed the mugs in the sink, "you're too hard on that boy."

"He's like a brother to me. He can take it," Eliot moved to lean back against the counter by the sink, arms folded against his chest. "Hey momma?"

"Yes, El?" She didn't look up from her washing.

"You ever been in love?"

She shut off the water and looked up at him.

"Like…_other_ love." Eliot's expression was soft, dare she even say innocent. It wasn't a question born of jealousy, but a shy kind of curiosity.

"You want to know if I have an Aimee?" She moved around him and hoisted herself up onto the counter and Eliot turned to stand between her legs, facing her. She delicately brushed his hair from his face as his hands came to rest on her thighs. "It was," she paused for a few seconds, "seven years ago. He was a Major in the Air Force turned marine engineer. I met him at some function in DC and we just…clicked." The entire time she kept in constant contact with Eliot's skin, subconsciously assuring him that she may be talking about someone else, but she was very much in love with him. "He was tall with wavy black hair and eyes the same color as mine. He was as much of a gentleman as you could be without being…stuffy or boring."

Eliot looked up into her emerald eyes, sparkling at the memory. He felt a smile spread across his face. This man made her happy. That happiness was really all that mattered.

"He was always finding some kind of trouble, so naturally I was hooked." At this, Eliot laughed. "I can remember we would always meet up on some little island in the Caribbean after each of us had finished our projects. We would SCUBA dive and lie in the sun during the day and lock ourselves away in our hotel room at night. He made me feel…safe. He loved me and he made sure that I knew it. He understood me. And I loved him."

"What happened?" Eliot was almost afraid of the answer.

She ran her fingers through his hair, cupping the back of his head before she answered. "He suffers from the same curse we do," she smiled softly. "He's addicted to the adventure. The danger. I was still young and I wasn't about to give up the thrill of being out in the wind. We held each other and kissed and parted ways. It was done out of love. I suppose that love is still there, but it's not what it used to be. I don't…long for him. I love his memory, but only with my brain," she wrapped her arms around Eliot's neck, "I love you with my heart," she trailed her fingers across his clavicle, "I love you with _everything._"

Eliot pressed his lips to hers, feeling her give her all to him, confident that the past was the past.

* * *

**Natalia's mystery man is actually based off a character from a series of novels. Bonus points if anyone can guess who...!**

** Credit for the character goes to its rightful owners.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Super sorry this update took as long as it did, but I think you'll be happy as to why. I've already begun on a companion to these! Gonna finish this one off first though. Again, sorry for making you wait so long but hope it's hot enough to make up for it.

* * *

**  
**

**Chapter 10**

Eliot stood back from the counter, allowing her to slip off the edge and back onto her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck puling him back in for a kiss. His hands moved across her ribs down to the small of her back, pressing her body flush to his. Her lips lingered, gently cradling his mouth in her familiar touch.

"Eliot," she whispered against him.

"Hmm?" He rumbled in response.

"You're not wearing anything under those sweatpants are you…" It was a statement not a question.

"N...no," his eyes shifted downward for a split second.

"Didn't think so," she stepped back from him and turned to saunter off towards the bedroom.

"You're not wearing a bra."

"That bothers you?" She purred without looking back.

"Bothers me that that shirt's not on the floor," he called after she had disappeared from view. Just then, her black tank was tossed into the doorway of the bedroom. Eliot smirked and made his way over, bending to pick it up. She was lying on her stomach with her head facing the foot of the bed, idly scrolling through messages on her BlackBerry. "You dropped this," Eliot held the shirt up.

She angled her eyes up from the screen. "Oops," she replied, her voice a husky murmur. Natalia turned over, keeping her elbows tucked tight to her chest, careful not to reveal anything Eliot wanted to see.

"Hey," Eliot growled, tossing her shirt aside before reaching for the phone still held in her fingers, "I'm talkin to you." He pulled her arms up above her head and tossed the BlackBerry onto her duffel bag on the floor. He leaned down to press his lips against hers. She made a move to reach for his hair but he held her wrists down harder, instinctively kicking her brain straight into fight mode.

"Eliot…" she breathed a warning against his lips. He was fully aware of what he had just done. All it took was that little challenge to bring out the wild animal that lay in wait in the shadows just under the surface. He let her go and she immediately flipped over, her right hand flying to the waistband of his sweats. Half a second later they were pooled around his ankles. Eliot grabbed her arms and pulled her up onto her knees before roughly grasping the back of her head and mashing his mouth to hers. She draped her arms over his neck, moaning at his arousal pressed against her stomach. He wrapped an arm in a vice grip around her waist, lifted her off the bed, and flung her against the wall behind him. Her back collided with the drywall a millisecond before he pinned his body to hers. His hands ripped at her shorts and he let out a growl of satisfaction. She wasn't wearing underwear either.

Natalia rolled her hips against his, her breath ruffling the strands of hair that fell in front of his face. Eliot roughly pushed her legs apart with his knee before he slammed into her. She let out a cry before weaving her hands into his hair and arching her body into his. He hooked his hand behind her right knee, pulling it up to his waist as he thrust into her, thanking God for making her so flexible. He could probably get her leg over his shoulder if he wanted to. The very thought made him almost lose it as he grunted. She slipped her tongue into his mouth as he picked up his pace, causing her to dig her nails into his back, clawing red trails into hardened muscle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands moved to her ass in preparation for what he knew she was about to do. In one smooth motion she hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist.

'Tender' and 'slow' were words temporarily discarded from their vocabulary as Eliot pounded into Natalia relentlessly. She braced herself against the bookcase with her right hand, desperate for a counterforce against the hitter's assault. She used the leverage to push back against him crying out as his pubic bone ground against her clit.

"Fuck…Natalia," he growled. It was his way of letting her know he was close.

She pushed harder against him and his mouth smashed into hers in a frenzy, the adrenaline in his blood manifesting in the desperation of his body.

"Eliot…" she cried with that desperate kind of want that always preceded her screams. Natalia buried her face in Eliot's shoulder as he felt her teeth dig into his skin and her tight walls clench around him. The combined sensations sent him over the edge, his hand flying to brace himself against the wall as his orgasm ripped through his body.

The assassin's head thumped backwards into the wall as a smile lit up her face. Eliot was still panting as she let one leg down slowly, supporting all of her weight before bringing the other down beside it. She ran her hands over his shoulders before cupping his face in her hands. His blue eyes were alive with something she could stand to see more of; happiness.

Ten minutes later they had each freshened up and collapsed in bed, Natalia's head resting on Eliot's chest, his fingers toying with her hair. Her eyes were half closed in a sated haze as she listened to the steady rhythm of the hitter's heart.

"So, this other guy," Eliot rumbled, "you said he was a _Major _in the Air Force?" There was a tinge of loftiness to his voice as he traced his fingers over her shoulder.

Natalia smirked as she rolled over, her back now facing him. "Easy there," her voice was husky as she shuffled around to get comfortable. "Commander…" A haughty smile spread across his face as he turned onto his side, pressing his chest against her back and wrapping an arm around her waist. Eliot fell asleep content with his higher rank both in the military and in her heart.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Super short update but I wanted to get it up anyway. **

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**

**Chapter 11**

**_December 26th_  
**

Eliot woke to a light push on his right bicep. He turned to face the digital clock, eyes coming to focus on the green glow of the numbers. 8:26. He had actually slept through the night.

"Eliot," Natalia whispered. He turned over to find her on her stomach facing him, eyes still heavy with sleep. "I think Parker's in the kitchen." He had barely begun to process what she had just said when she added, "Never mind. In the doorway." The hitter propped himself up on an elbow, finding the little thief leaning against the bedroom doorframe, a bowl of cereal cradled in her hands.

"You need more Captain Crunch," Parker shoveled another bite into her mouth. Eliot kept cereal he'd never eat around just for her. Apparently he was running low.

"Dammit Parker," he sat up.

"Morning to you too, Grumpy," she huffed. "Morning Natalia!"

"Morning Parker," Natalia purred, snuggling closer to Eliot in reaction to the cold created when he sat up in bed.

"I told you to quit breaking into my apartment."

"I thought you'd be awake. Are those bite marks?" Parker's eyes widened in wonder. Natalia grinned as Eliot's hand flew to his shoulder in a vain effort to rub the red marks out of his skin.

"What do you want Parker?" Eliot growled.

"I don't think Hardison likes me."

Natalia let out a soft laugh and Eliot slumped against the headboard.

"Apparently we've become a counseling service," Eliot looked down at Natalia who wrapped an arm around his waist and laced a leg through his. Parker furrowed her brow at the statement.

"That's not true Parker," Natalia assured her.

"But he…"

"We know. He was here last night," Eliot raked a hand through is hair.

"What did he say?" She looked like a child there in front of them. Eliot was suddenly very aware that he was in bed without a stitch of clothing on next to a woman he had fucked hours before, who also happened to be naked, in front of someone who might as well be his little sister.

"Just give us a minute Parker. We'll be right out."

The thief didn't budge.

"PARKER."

"Are you naked under there?" She made a move to grab at the comforter, which Eliot promptly flattened over his thighs. Natalia just laughed.

"GO," Eliot's voice rose half an octave as he pointed to the living room.

"Fine," she turned on her heel and headed off toward the living room.

Eliot looked down at Natalia who arched up to kiss him.

"Patience, Love," she whispered before shifting around to slip on some clothes.

Five minutes later Natalia padded into the living room, clad in jeans and a v-neck jersey t-shirt. She immediately headed to the coffee maker as Eliot made his way into the living room in jeans and a fitted dark grey Henley. Parker was perched on the sofa, a pensive look on her face.

"Did I do something wrong?" She trained her big blue eyes on the hitter's.

"No, Parker. Hardison just doesn't think the way you do," he flopped down on the sofa and ran a hand through his hair.

"Is that bad?"

"No, you guys just have to learn to meet each other halfway," Natalia handed Eliot a mug of coffee before snuggling up to his side.

"Did you and Eliot have to do that?"

"Of course. I had to learn that it was okay to trust someone again." Eliot wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I had to learn that touch could be comforting. Eliot had to take the time to figure me out. He put me back together."

"Hardison will come around, but don't rely entirely on him either," Eliot took a sip of coffee. "Pull your weight and you'll be just fine."

Parker set her bowl down on the coffee table and blinked hard a few times.

"It'll work itself out Parker. The fact that he was over here last night proves that he cares about you. He's afraid of doing something wrong. You're only afraid of that when you care," Natalia's fingers toyed with Eliot's hair.

The little thief nodded her head in slow understanding.

"Thanks," she whispered. "When are you leaving?" Parker looked up into Natalia's eyes.

"Tomorrow," she whispered the word like it was something forbidden. Eliot held her a bit tighter. He had known since the night she arrived, but that hadn't made it any easier.

"Will I see you before then?"

"Probably. We could do lunch or something. My flight's not until four."

"I'll tell Hardison then," Parker got up and headed for the door as Natalia and Eliot followed. Just before she stepped out, the thief spun on her heel and hugged her, much to the assassin's surprise. "Thanks again," she whispered.

"Anytime Parker," she smiled.

His phone rang just as Eliot shut the door behind the little blonde. He had left it on the kitchen counter and in two bounds he covered the distance and promptly answered.

"Momma, Sophie wants to know if you want to go shopping."

Natalia sat on the arm of the sofa, "I could use a new pair of shoes."

"She'll be at your place in half an hour."


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Another short one but I promise the next update will make up for it. Also, to everyone worried about this story ending, don't worry! There will be much more Eliot/Natalia stories to follow it!

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"The big department stores are usually picked over, but if you stick to the boutiques," Sophie held open the door for Natalia, "you can find almost anything."

The grifter was clad in a black silk button up shirt, jeans, and brown leather riding boots, accented by a matching bag and all topped off with a navy wool coat. Natalia had pulled on a Three-quarter sleeve black suede blazer over her t-shirt and her black heels with skinny jeans. She had forgone a purse, finding the black pea coat she was wearing to be cumbersome enough. She could feel the slightest buzz rising in her blood as she surveyed the chic shop. She so rarely had a chance to go shopping that she almost forgot how much she loved it.

This boutique in particular sold shoes and lingerie, arguably two of a woman's most favorite things to shop for.

"I wanted something really, just," Sophie ran her long fingers through her dark hair, "sexy. Not for anyone in particular, just for me. You know? That is absolutely gorgeous," she pointed to the shoe Natalia had just picked up.

It was made from nude-toned Yves St Laurent suede with a four inch heel that could take an eye out. _That could come in handy, _she thought. She had very specific taste in shoes and this fit everything on her list. "I don't think I can pass these up," she ran her fingers over the velvety suede before taking a look at the price tag. Eight hundred dollars. _Nice._ 'Very specific taste in shoes' also translated to 'very expensive taste in shoes.' But she had a dangerous profession and danger pays well, particularly when you're very, very good at what you do. Eight hundred dollars wouldn't even put a dent in her shopping budget. She never even went shopping anyway. "Do you have these in an eight and a half?" Natalia asked the clerk.

"You should buy something sexy to wear for Eliot," Sophie remarked as she examined a jeweled sandal. Natalia looked up at her with mildly stunned eyes. "Oh come on, you're two ridiculously good looking people in love. Knowing Eliot the way I do, I'd be concerned if you two weren't going at it at every opportunity." The assassin hid a smile as a soft flush colored her cheeks. She hadn't expected something so brazen out of Sophie of all people.

The clerk returned with Natalia' shoes just before she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. _Speak of the devil. _It was a text message from Eliot.

_Where did you guys end up?_

_Lingerie store. _She tapped the response out on the touch screen of her phone before slipping her feet into the pumps. Sure, they sold shoes too, but that wouldn't tease him quite the way she had in mind.

_You're shitting me._

_Nope._ Natalia stood up and strutted over to the mirror. Oh yes, these were keepers.

_Buy something sexy._

_So that you can rip it off me five minutes after I get it on? _She packed the shoes back into their box before tucking it under her arm. She saw that Sophie had moved to the back of the store to look at stockings.

_Sounds about right._

_You going to shove me into the wall again like last night? _The assassin flipped through a rack of corsets before stopping at a black satin number with lace insets. _That's not bad,_ she thought.

_No I was thinking of bending you over the arm of the couch._

_Ooohh…now are you ripping this lingerie off before or after I suck your dick and you beg me to let you come? _A subtle smirk crossed her features, imagining what the hitter's face would look like when he opened that message. She decided to buy the corset on the justification that it would go with the garter belt and lace boy shorts she already had. Plus it was classy enough to wear under a blazer. She could wear it tonight with the stockings she had thrown in her bag at the last minute. The kind with the seam in the back that Eliot had a particular fondness for. _God, it felt good to go shopping again,_ she thought as her phone buzzed again.

_After. I need some time to take it all in._

_Got it. _Sophie returned with an arm-full of various pieces of silk, satin, and lace.

_Now grab something and hurry up. I'm hard as fuck over here._

_Yes, sir. _She smiled and with a swipe of plastic they were headed to the next store.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright, hope this update makes up for the last few being short. Thank you so much to all who reviewed. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Much to Eliot's dismay the grifter and the assassin hit several more stores before returning home.

When Natalia unlocked the door to the apartment, Eliot was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, a mug of tea on the coffee table, National Geographic magazine on his hands.

"It's about time," he rumbled without turning. Apparently the article was a bit too entrancing.

Natalia slipped off her shoes and put her bags down before leaning over the back of the couch, catching a whiff of his hair. She ran her fingers over his earlobe before sweeping his soft brown strands off of his neck and planting feather-light kisses on his skin. He let her sweet torture continue for a few more seconds before he couldn't take it anymore.

"I believe you owe me something," he let out a sultry growl.

"Give me a minute," she whispered, toting her bags off to the bedroom.

She returned to find Eliot in the kitchen washing his mug. He glanced up at the clicking of her heels on the hardwood floors as he set the mug on the drying rack. She grabbed one of the dining chairs and swung it around to face outwards without breaking her stride on her way to the kitchen.

"What are..." he began as she strutted in front of him in exactly the same clothes she had on minutes before. He had expected…skintight leather or something and was straddling the line between confused and pissed. She paid him no mind, instead slipping her iPod into the speaker dock he kept on the countertop. She tapped "Play" and turned to face him with a glimmer in her eye that could only be described as predatory. Big band style horns started up as she kissed him, slowly backing him up toward the chair. When the band reached a crescendo, she pressed her palm to his chest and shoved him down.

**_I've got a bad boy and that's alright with me. _**

The voice came over the speakers as Natalia began to move her hips slowly to the music as she held his gaze. Now he understood.

**_His dirty laundry is nothing that I can't keep clean. _**

She turned slightly, offering him a side view as she slid her hands over her breasts, down her stomach, over her hips and across her butt before bringing them around to unbutton her jeans.

**_And when he needs an alibi,_**

Eliot leaned further back in his chair his hands resting loosely on is thighs, a satisfied grin spreading across his features.

**_He can use me…all night._**

She popped the buttons on her blazer, before slipping it from her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor.

**_What's the fun in playing it safe?_**

Her hands found the hem of her t-shirt…

**_I think I'd rather misbehave…your way_**

…which she slowly eased off to reveal the corset she had bought hours before. Eliot let out a low growl of approval. It fit her body like a glove and had a tantalizing push-up effect on her already full breasts.

**_I'm just a bad girl, that's why we get along._**

The assassin slipped her hands under the waistband of her jeans, touching herself just long enough for Eliot to shift in his seat due to the growing discomfort in his jeans.

**_Won't make excuses for anything I'm doing wrong._**

She shimmied her hips as she pulled the fabric down over her long legs, bending over as the jeans pooled around her ankles, allowing him a good long look at her ass up in the air. His blue eyes were dark with lust as they ran up the expanse of bronze skin, her perfectly sculpted claves and toned thighs encased in seamed stockings. His favorite.

**_I'll pull the trigger in a flash,_**

Eliot reached to adjust himself in his jeans, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Natalia. She had transformed before him into some kind of sex goddess in her corset, lace boy shorts, garter belt and thigh-highs. He had to be the luckiest man on earth.

**_Watch out honey, step back._**

She flipped her hair as she straightened up, stepping out of her jeans and strutting over to the hitter. She positioned herself between Eliot's legs, winding her hips, swatting his hands away when he tried to touch.

**_What's the fun in playing it safe?_**

Natalia leaned forward to rest her hands on the edge of the table, back arched, her breasts inches away from his face.

**_Wouldn't you rather misbehave? My way…_**

The words taunted him as he inhaled a whiff of her perfume, subconsciously leaning in towards her neck. He was dying to touch her, to kiss her, to possess this beautiful, brazen animal who had so much power over his every thought.

**_Oh baby show me the money my evil friend._**

Her hands trailed across his shoulders, down his sides to the button on his jeans, causing him to swallow hard.

**_Let's go to Mexico, drink margaritas in sin._**

She unzipped his pants, her breath hot on his earlobe as she whispered the next few lines as her palm went to work on his package.

**_I'll light a candle for good luck_**

**_Come on baby let's..._**

With that she dropped to a squat and drew him through his boxers. He let out a harsh breath as her mouth enveloped his rock hard dick in warm, wet heat. He gripped the sided of the chair, bracing himself for what he knew he had in store.

**_What's the fun in playing it safe?_**

She trailed the tip of her tongue along the underside of his cock before swirling it around the tip. Eliot's breath came in heavy grunts as her hands crept under his shirt.

**_I think I'd rather misbehave…our way_**

He felt his dick bump the back of her throat as she fondled his balls, stealing a peek up at him. A sly look crossed her features when she saw his head tipped against the back of the chair, teeth sunk into his bottom lip, breath coming in labored gasps through his nose as he struggled to keep it together.

"Momma," he grunted a warning.

"That wasn't long at all Spencer," she whispered through swollen lips, laying kisses over his wet skin.

"It's that outfit. Makin' me fucking crazy," Eliot rumbled as she trailed her nose over his velvety skin.

"Wanna touch?"

No sooner had she said the words than he yanked her up by the arms and tossed her against the dining table. She whipped around, colliding with Eliot's bare chest, her lips meeting his. He ran his hands down the panels of satin that encased her curves, feeling the scratch of lace as he cupped the perfect globes of her ass in his palms. Natalia arched her head back as the hitter's mouth trailed down the tendons of her neck before his tongue caressed the tops of her breasts, sending waves of chills over her skin.

Eliot flipped her around, pressing her chest down onto the table, pulling his jeans and underwear off before his impatient fingers falling on the tiny clasps of her corset. Lucky for him, he was skilled at the art of unhooking a woman's bra, and this was nearly the same. He had it undone in seconds, and was finally able to run his hands over the impossibly soft skin of her back, reveling in the feeling of their nerves colliding. He leaned forward to cover her body with his, taking a handful of her soft dark hair and turning her head to the side. She could feel his heat burning between her legs. Natalia let out a sigh and arched up into his touch, feeling something simultaneously sensual and dangerous about his weight on her back, his tongue on her jugular vein.

"Turn over," he growled in her ear as he stood back up.

She complied, tossing the corset on the floor, her big green eyes trained on the hitter. His long hair was tousled perfectly, falling in his wide blue eyes. Her gaze swept over the expanse of skin that looked golden in the soft light of his apartment. He was leaner than he had been over the summer, and she was dying to feel the power of those muscles rippling under the surface of his skin. Looking up at him she could just barely see the trail of hair that ran from his belly button down to his package. The anticipation of having him inside her was making her head spin.

His weathered hands made their way down her thigh to cradle her ankle. "New shoes," he smiled before removing each of them, taking care to set them on the floor under the table where they wouldn't be damaged. His capacity for thoughtfulness still amazed her. He focused his attention next on the clips of her garter belt, slowly rolling each stocking down her long legs before sucking on her toes.

"Eliiottt," she whimpered, subconsciously shifting her pelvis towards him. This couldn't go on much longer or she was literally going to lose her mind. In one swift motion he rid her of her panties and garter belt, taking in the sight of her naked below him. Her dark hair was splayed out across the table, her head tipped to the side, practically panting with want. Eliot grabbed her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table, rubbing his cock against her soft wet folds. She reached down and dug her nails into his forearm, signaling her impatience. He let out a low rumbling laugh, running his hands over her heated skin, touching her everywhere except where she wanted to feel him.

"Payback momma," he growled.

"I swear Eliot, I'm gonna…" her faux threat was cut short as he finally thrust into her. He paused a moment, bracing his hands on the table as she propped herself up on her elbows to meet his kiss. He pulled out and thrust his hips against hers again as his tongue slipped into her mouth. This was what it was like to be wonderfully and completely full of Eliot. His pace increase in urgency and she threw her head back with a moan, arching her chest up towards his mouth. He ran his tongue over the underside of her breasts before taking one hard nipple between his teeth as he drove into her.

"Up," he ground out moments later and she sat up in compliance, nearly splitting a curse as he slipped out of her. Eliot flipped her around and unceremoniously slammed her chest down onto the table before pounding back into her. The assassin's hands cushioned the impact before the hitter's body covered hers. Heat from his damp skin radiated through every inch of her and yet the sensation sent chills throughout her body. He dug his teeth into the soft flesh at the base of her neck before trailing his nose across the sensitive skin along the top of her spine, laying kisses over her tattoo. When she reached up to tangle a hand in his hair, he shut her down, instead pinning her arm to the table and lacing his fingers through hers. Natalia stood on her tip toes, changing the angle of Eliot's thrust to hit her G-spot.

"Eliot…" she panted, met by his grunt in response. "On the table."

He growled in compliance, perhaps all he trusted his body to do, as he hoisted himself up onto the table. She nimbly hopped up beside him before straddling his lap and once again burying him inside her. She rolled her hips against his as he kissed her again, fisting her soft dark hair in his hands. She smelled like vanilla, Natalia, and sex and the combination was about to short circuit his brain. As if she read his thoughts, she picked up her pace as she rode him, throwing her arms around his neck as he sucked in her lips. She grabbed handfuls of his hair, pulling harder as she got closer and closer to her climax.

"Eliot," his name from her lips was a question this time, posed to see how close he was.

"Yeah," was all he could manage as stars exploded behind his tightly shut eyes. He remembered hearing her cry out and feeling her body tense before she melted in his arms, chest heaving for breath. When he trusted his vision again he opened his eyes to find her face buried in his shoulder, arms tight around his neck. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her with all the tenderness he was capable of.

When their lips parted he slipped out of her and lay down on his side, guiding her down in front of him. She snuggled back into his chest and laced one smooth leg through his as he wrapped an arm around her waist as they came down from their high, the cool wood soothing heated skin.

"Hey momma?" Eliot rumbled in her ear.

"Hmm?" she moaned.

"You know that's Hardison's favorite chair," he tipped his head in the direction of the chair he had been sitting in which now served as a makeshift rack for his jeans and her underwear.

She let out a laugh that wrinkled her nose and Eliot couldn't help but kiss her cheek. He was going to miss her like hell.

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**The song is _Dirty Laundry _by Bitter:Sweet. All credit goes to rightful owners.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Boston

**Summary: **A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright guys, this is the last of it! Thank you sooo much to everyone who read this and I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed it. Your kind words truly have meant so much to me. And don't worry, there will be more Eliot and Natalia very soon. Thanks again everyone!

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_**December 27**__**th**_

It was 7:03 am. The sun hadn't yet risen, but soft blue light filtered in through the sheers, creating a silhouette of her sleeping figure before him. Today was the day he never wanted to face. When she left, everything would revert to the norm. Soon the team would have to face a future against Moreau, and he would have to face his past.

He knew she would be alright. She always was. 'I can take care of myself Eliot,' is what she would tell him. She was the best at what she did, but there was always that fear in the back of his mind. The one that dreaded her going away, and never coming back again. His eyes darted away in order to compose himself.

As if to reassure him, she shifted from her position on her side to snuggle against his chest, He kissed her forehead and held her, content for now to wait until the morning light to face goodbye.

Hours later he found her in the kitchen, peeling a grapefruit. Her duffel bag and backpack were already by the door and she was dressed in a black tank, jeans and a colored scarf, her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"You know it's 19 degrees outside," he pulled his hair back and secured it with a tie from his wrist.

"That's what the blazer is for," she casually pointed to her blazer draped over a dining chair. Eliot leaned against the opposite side of the kitchen counter, arms crossed smiling at her. "And I do own a jacket you know," she teased.

"Where are you off to?"

"The Dominican Republic. Where it's warm. Hence the tank," she bit into a slice of the pink fruit while looking him straight in the eye.

"Don't do that."

"Do what," she pressed another slice to her lips before taking a bite.

"You know exactly what I mean," his voice was rough now and she knew she was getting to him.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," she licked a drop of juice off of her skin as it ran down her thumb. He growled at her and she smiled before finishing her fruit and rinsing her hands. He closed the space between them, pressing his chest to her back, nose buried in her neck, taking in her scent while he still could.

"Ready?" He rumbled low in her ear.

"Never," she whispered, turning her face until their noses just brushed. She almost lost it.

The car ride to the restaurant was spent in silence, save for the humming of the Charger's engine and Eliot's heart hammering in his ears. He stole a glance over at her, chin resting in her palm, gaze directed out of the window at the tourists along the sidewalk. The sunlight through the buildings caught the diamonds on her finger and the tear on her cheek. Eliot pretended not to notice, but she knew he had seen. She didn't care.

They spent lunch with Parker and Hardison with smiles on their faces, but inside, they were breaking. Hellos and goodbyes passed too quickly, the space between them disappearing before it had even begun. Their last moments together were racing toward them with a momentum that couldn't be stopped.

He found himself standing in front of the security line when she slipped her hand from his and turned to face him.

"We've never been good at this," she whispered.

Eliot wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, pulling her lips to his in a hard and desperate kiss; his unspoken plea for something he knew wouldn't come. When he finally released her she opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her by brushing his thumb over her lips. "Go." He barely managed to choke out the word. She gave his waist one last squeeze before picking up her duffel bag, turning on her heel, and walking through to Security.

Letting go of him was like ripping out a piece of her very being. Some kind of vital organ was now missing and she couldn't go back for it. This was different. Leaving him had never felt like this. For these past few days that she had been a part of his regular life…she slept in his bed, made his coffee, drank with his friends, fucked on his dining table…_this_ was the normal she wanted deep down and now she was leaving it. She had half a mind to say fuck it all to hell. The job, the guns, the whirlwind lifestyle. She wanted Eliot. But still, she had to let go.

As he stared at her there in the line, his head screamed at him. _Don't let her go through that line. Don't let her walk to that gate. Don't let her on that plane. Whatever you do, don't lose her._ He nearly got down on his knees and begged. She didn't need to work for money; he had enough for the both of them. That was all that mattered, right? Him and her and enough money to last them five lifetimes. He needed her. He couldn't let her go. But there she was, glancing back at him one last time, mouthing an "I love you" before disappearing into the fray. Just like that, she was gone.

He stood there, for how long he didn't know. But Eliot stood there, hands in the pockets of his jeans, life playing at full speed around him; families saying goodbye, others welcoming loved ones with open arms. He didn't know when he turned around and drove home and stuck the key into the lock on his door before tossing them onto the dining room table, beside a piece of paper that he hadn't put there. He unfolded it, knowing full well who had.

_Clean this before you invite anyone over, Cowboy. _

He couldn't help but laugh. He knew he'd hold her again. Soon enough, somewhere, they would be back together. It wouldn't be long. He'd make damn sure of it.


End file.
